Radiator-locking cap



April 27 i926.. 1,582,354

A. lL. sol-1M RADIATOR LOCKING CAP Filed May 18, 1925 Bumm www @RMK Pateiea Apr. 27, 1926.

isszn STATES Prenr-orsics.

ALFRED L'. somit, or cnIcAedILLnvo-ie.

-\ RADIATOR-LOCKING C1113.

Y 4 i Application iilcdIM'ay 18, 1925.. Serial No. 31,11%.'k

To all fao/0m t may concern:

Be. it known that I, Ammin) L. Sonar, a citi-Zen ot the' United States, residing at Chi? cago, in the county of Cook and State oi Illinois, have invented certain new and kuseful Improvements in Rzuliator-Locking Caps, ofi' which the following is a speci {ication.

This invention relates to radiator locking capsand more paif'tic-.ularly to a cap adapted toSupportpaJ radiatorornament, signal or the like. and provided with a manually' con-v trolled means :tor locking it securely to 'aradiator spout to prevent its unauthorized re-' moval. l 4, An important object of to provide Aa .plurality oi. gripping members adapted "to be manually moved outwardly in- ^vFigure l isa central vertical sectional view through the device in placeon a radiator spout, parts being shown in. elevation, v

Figure2 is a .plan view of the device with the radiator signal removed,

Figure 3 is a bottomvplan of the device with the locking sleeve and associated `ele ments removed, parts being broken away,

Figure i is of Figure 1. Y y

Referring to the drawings, the niuneralV designates an Yordinary automobile radiator iilling` spout through which water is introduced in filling. the radiator. llhe device forming the subject matten of the present invention comprises generallya cap :1l prof vided with a substantiallyjcylindricalI cena section taken `on line L /l trai portion 12 having an opening 13 therecome apparent that the device is adapted to` f the invention is,V

be employed in connection with lilling spouts oi various sizes. The cap 11 maybe providednvitli ornamental. arms 1% or `any other suitable ornamentation whichmay be desired. n gasket 15 is arranged inthe upper end; ot the opening ,i3 yand is adapted to lengage the upper end. voft the lilling spout to provide aleak-proof joint.' f

The cap 11 is provided in its 'upper end with an opening 16 of smaller diameter than the opening 1'3 as shown. The `upper.face of the cepis pro vided outwardly of the opening 1G with an annular recess '17 in whieh is mounted a rubber'or similargasket 181,11 collar 19 is adapted to be arranged over the capin Contact with the gasket 18, asshown. The cap is provided preferably at'its rear side with 'ears 2O between which is arranged a boss 2l formed integral with the ycollar n1.9.

'A pivotpin22 passes through vthe boss 21 and ears 2O to pivotally connect these niembers. A locking member 23 is pivotally con'- nected as at 24 to the forward side or thecap and is provided at its upper endwith `a horizontal lipVV 25 overhanging a lug 2,6

*reformed integral with theY collar19. ,A .thumb screw' 27 is carried by the lip 25 and is adapt,-

ed tobevjclamped downwardly against therv lug 26'. It will be apparent that when the screw 27 is loosenedthe upperendof the locking member may 'be swung outwardly to permit the forward portionof the collar 19 to be lifted; The locking member 23 is adapted to maintain the collar 19 tightly' seated against the gasket 18 tov prevent leakage between the collarl and the upper 'end of .thev cap 11.1The`1neans for pivotally conneetingythe collar 19to the cap and clamping it thereto are shown in detail in my prior Patent No. 1,5e1,073,1dated June 9th', 1925. n As shownin Figures 1l and 2, the `collar 19 is provided with an annular depression 28 and a central opening 29 through which vapors and steam from the "radiator are adapted to pass; In my prior patentabove' identiiied, I have shown and described.l a radiator signal which is adapted to be mounted within the recess-2S. "The signal may include a cylinder 30 `adapted vto beV pressed within .the recess 28k and lprovided with a vertically movable lcap 31 which 1s adapted to' warn the operator-ot the vehicle Vwhen excessive pressure isrrpre'sent in the radiator. y l

The cap 11 is provided within the opening 16 with preferably integral inwardly and downwardly extending radial arms 32 terminating at their inner ends in a cylindrical portion 33. A screw 34 is mounted to rotate in the cylindrical portion 33 and is provided at its upper end with a head 35 having a screw driver slot 36 therein to permit its manual rotation. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the cylindrical portion 33 is provided in its lower end with a circular recess 37 in which is arranged a ratchet wheel 38 connected to the screw 34 by a pin 39 whereby it is adapted to rotate therewith. An arcuate leaf spring 40 is arranged outwardly of and in contact with the cylindrical portion 33 and is connected at one end thereto by a screw or pin 41. A ratchet tooth 42 is secured to theopposite end of the spring 40 and extends inwardly through an opening 43 formed inthe cylindrical portion 33. The inner end of the tooth 42 is adapted to engage the teeth of the wheel 38, as clearly shown in Figure 3.

A sleeve 44 is arranged below the ratchet wheel and is internally threaded to receive the screw 34. The sleeve 44 is provided with pairs of spaced ears 45 between which are mounted the inner ends'of gripping niernbers 46. The gripping members are pivotally connected to the ears by pins 47. The pins 47 and the ears 45 are adapted to snugly fit the Vgripping members 46 whereby the latter will be retained in the vertical or dotted line position indicated in Figure 1 when the sleeve is inserted within the filling spout, as will be understood. rihe outer ends of the gripping members are provided with gripping edges 48 adapted to tightly grip against the inner face of the filling spout as shown in Figures l and 4. The cylindrical portion 33 is provided with a depending and outwardly extending lug 49 which is adapted to engage against one of the gripping members 46, as shown in Figure 4.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The collar is arranged in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 with the gripping members 46 projecting vertically. The signal 30 and collar 19 are then swung about the hinge pin 32 to provide access to the interior of the cap.11. The device is then placed in position over the filling spout of the radiator with the upper end thereof in contact withv the gasket 15. The end of the screw driver is then inserted within the slot 36 and the screw 34 revolved. Contact of the lug 49 with one of the gripping members 46 prevents rotation of the sleeve 44, as will be obvious. Since the sleeve is prevented from rotating, it will be obvious that rotation of the screw in a clockwise direction will cause the sleeve 44 to move upwardly. The gripping members will contact with the lowerl end of the cylindrical portion 33 and the upper ends of the gripn ping members will be caused to move outwardly. Continued rotation of the screw is adapted to cause the gripping edges 48 of the members 4G to tightly engageagainst the inner surface of the filling spout and since these gripping members are concentrically placed, it will be obvious that they serve to center the cap over the filling spout. As the screw is revolved in the manner described, it will be apparent that the ratchet wheel 38 also will be revolved and the tooth 42 will escape over the ends of successive teeth of the ratchet wheel by moving outwardly against the tension of the spring 4G. After the gripping members have been tightly engaged against the inner surface of the filling spout, it will be obvious that reverse rotation of the screw will be pre` vented by the engagement of the ratchet toot-h with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, thus preventing unauthorized removal of the cap.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown. and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a cap having an open lower end adapted to receive the upper end of the filling spout of an automobile radiator, a sleeve arranged in said cap and movable parallel to the axis thereof, a plurality of gripping members pivotally connected at their inner ends to said slee ie, means for turning the free ends of said members outwardly intoV engagement with the filling spout when said sleeve is moved, an axial screw engaging said sleeve and rotatable in one direction to effect movement of said sleeve, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said screw.

2. A device of the character described comprising a cap having an open lower end adapted to receive the upper end of the filling spout of an automobile radiator, an axial bearing arranged in said cap; an axial screw rotatably mounted in said bearing, a sleeve threaded on said screw, a plurality of substantially radial gripping members pivotally connected at their inner ends to swing vertically, and means for preventing rotation of said sleeve, a portion of said bearing being adapted to contact with said gripping members to turn the free ends thereof outwardly into engagement with the filling spout when said screw is rotated in one direction.

3. A device constructed in accordance with claim 2 provided with means for preventing reverse rotation of said screw. 1

4. A device constructed in accordance With claim 2 provided with a ratchet vvheel 5. A device constructed in accordance with claim 2 provided with a ratchet Wheel secured to said screw to rotate therewith, an arcuate .leaf spring partially surrounding said bearing and securedaat one end thereto, and a ratchet tooth carried by the opposite end of said epring and adapted to engage said ratchet Wheel.

G. A'device of the character described comprising a cap adapted to be arranged over the filling spout' of an automobile radiator, a member arranged in said cap and movable parallel to the` axis thereof, a plurality of gripping members pivotally connected at one endto said movable member, means for turning the free ends ci said members outwardly into engagement with thelilling spout when said ymovable member is `moved in one direction, Va rotatable screw threaded in said movable member, and means associated with said screw `for preventing rotation thereof in one direction.

, In testi1no`nT whereof I affix my signature.

n ALFRED L. soHM. 

